Monthly Archives: March 2012

To Faith And Fish: Salmon Fishing In The Yemen

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I can’t think of another movie that so seamlessly connects fishing, politics, humour, romance and a little bit of environmentalism for good measure. Not to mention fabulous acting, sharp dialogue and a wonderfully quirky story…I was hooked on this lovely British film as soon as it started. A seemingly outrageous vision of a wealthy sheikh (Amr Waked) to bring the sport of fly-fishing to the Yemeni desert starts a project that brings together some unlikely people.  Ewan McGregor stars as Dr. Jones, the fisheries expert who is roped into the project by consultant Harriet (Emily Blunt) when the Prime Minister’s overzealous press secretary (the hilariously wry Kristin Scott Thomas) latches onto the project as a “feel good” story about Anglo-Arab relations.  Though there are a few dark moments in the film that seem somewhat underdeveloped, ultimately this is an optimistic movie that will leave you smiling  – and maybe even believing in the power of faith and fish.

We didn’t have salmon for our post-movie dinner, but the authentic Ethiopian cuisine at The Horn of Africa did not disappoint.  The place was hopping on a Saturday night and it was a fun place for a relaxed, inexpensive dinner.  Definitely worth trying if you’re in the mood for something a little different in downtown Ottawa.

Avocado Salad & A Serious Case of Spring Fever

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While talking about the weather can get old pretty fast and is usually relegated to small talk, Ottawa is buzzing about this glorious weather. It’s officially the first day of spring but it feels like midsummer here.  What big piles of snow were left are melting fast and except for the leafless trees, all signs of winter seem to have disappeared.  This early summer seems a little weird but no one’s complaining! I got on my bike for the first time this year and went to my yoga class with sandals on yesterday, it felt amazing. The tennis courts are open, people are talking about heading to the beach…it sure doesn’t feel like March!
I needed a sunny lunch to go with my sunny day, and was inspired (on Pinterest, where else?) by this fresh take on an avocado salad.

I didn’t have all their ingredients on hand, but I tossed mine together with a simple vinaigrette of red wine vinegar, olive oil, garlic and threw some chopped Kalamata olives on top…bright, fresh and super tasty.

I’m typing outside in the sun, but I think I’d better get to the library if I’m going to get any work done… this beautiful weather isn’t conducive to school work!
Hope the sun is shining wherever you are!

“Guinness Is Good For You” (and so is chocolate cake!)

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In honour of Saint Patrick’s day I jumped at the chance to throw Guinness in a recipe to make it un-authentically “Irish”.  This Saturday I might just be hopping on the bandwagon of people who claim to have more Irish ancestry then is true (I do have some though, really!), enjoying dyed green beer and sporting a shamrock, but this dessert is actually a classy (and delicious) way to celebrate the day on which everyone is Irish-ish. And really, chocolate cake + beer…I knew good things were going to come out of the oven.

This recipe certainly doesn’t need to be reserved for St-Paddy’s day only, I will definitely be making this more than once a year!  The Guinness really does do something amazing to the cake; the result is incredibly rich, moist and intensely chocolatey.

Use stabilizer in your whipped cream if you want the topping to look like the frothy head of the famous Irish beer…or your cake could look like mine!

May the luck of the Irish be with you!

Heavenly Angel Food Cake

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I love this light and airy cake, but I tend to think of Angel Food Cake as a summer dessert. However, with cartons of egg whites in the fridge this dessert suddenly seemed very appropriate (even if there is still snow on the ground!).
The cake can be whipped up quickly and you certainly don’t need to get fancy to make this dessert a hit. I also discovered that this recipe works super well for a cupcake version! I added some mini chocolate chips to the cupcakes just for fun and it was a perfect little treat. Topped everything off with vanilla whipped cream and strawberries…is summer here yet?Image

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Follow the Guidelines

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I found this gem from the past while cleaning some files off my family’s old desktop.  Some girlfriends and I started a book group the summer we were 15, and these are the (kind of silly!) rules I decided our new group should follow. I particularly enjoy my use of coloured font for emphasis…

Our reading schedule sort of died once school started back up, but we managed to revive our club last summer and it was so much fun. Just the perfect excuse to make sure we all got together and caught up.  Anyone up for some more summer reading??

Link

Check this out:

The Scale of the Universe 2

“Scale of the Universe 2” by Michael and Cary Huang will blow your mind. With their interactive model you can scroll through the scale starting at human size all the way to things that are yottameters or yoctometers in diameter (that’s 1024 and 10-24 meters respectively; i.e. really, really big and really, really small). With some spacey music accompanying the animation it’s hard not to get caught up in the wonder of the universe.  I had my nerdy moment for the day marvelling at it all; even the largest things you could imagine are simply sums of the smallest things. The connections are never ending.  Just don’t think about it too hard, it can get kind of overwhelming!
So…does it make you feel really big or really small?

Mum’s Best Buttermilk Pancakes

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They say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but if the meal isn’t skipped altogether we tend to just grab something we can eat on the run.  I’m not saying that we need to cook a feast every morning, but isn’t it nice to actually sit down and enjoy the first meal of the day?  These pancakes are a cinch to whip up in the morning,they’re healthier than your average pancake, and if you make extra just freeze them for later…easy!  My Mum’s Best Buttermilk Pancakes